Jennifer Judge Hensel

Michigan Engineering 2020

As a new leader, how do you enable change in a large organization, and ensure a strong vision? When Alec D. Gallimore, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, took office in June 2016, he and his team outlined a Vision and Mission Statement that would lead the College to the next level, and a…

Pursue Bold Ideas

Following the rollout of a new strategic vision for the University of Michigan College of Engineering, we created a new Brand Video. This video captured the spirit and voice of Michigan Engineering, highlighting our core values and mission: to serve the common good. This video won a Michigan Emmy award for Best Community/Public Service Video….

The Michigan Engineer

The magazine underwent a major redesign in 2014, and I was part of a small team of four primary stakeholders who conceptualized and coordinated the re-imagining. For this project, I worked with Executive Director Dan Kim, Editor Brad Whitehouse and Designer Mira Lancaster to create a new editorial philosophy, test that philosophy among our audience…

Introducing the new dean

Over the course of one year, I managed the communications transition plan for the departure of a decade-long leader and the introduction of a new dean for the University of Michigan College of Engineering. This communications & marketing plan included multiple communications points along a year-long timeline to various constituents, mapped out and planned well…

One Cool Thing

A mobile application conceived, designed, built and managed entirely by the talented staff in the Communications & Marketing office at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Over the course of six months, I worked with our Executive Director Dan Kim to conceptualize, plan, develop and launch this app. This work included creating a manifesto,…

Visual Brand

I led a team of multimedia designers to redefine the visual brand of the College of Engineering. This process involved defining visual goals and strategies, establishing assets and guidelines, and rolling that out among communicators throughout the College. BRAND STATEMENT The visual brand for the College of Engineering strives to create a unique perspective on what…

Time Capsule Project

This was a four-year long project to document and celebrate the changes in our students during their time at Michigan Engineering. My concept was simple: record short video segments – “Time Capsules” – with students on their first day of classes. Four years later, show them the video and capture their reactions on camera. It…

Legacy Section

For the departure of David C. Munson, Jr., the former Dean of the College of Engineering, a special section of the magazine was created to honor his legacy and work. I coordinated the content creation and conducted the editing for this section, working with multiple creative team members and College leadership to define the goals…

Asked & Answered

Early in my career at Michigan Engineering, I helped develop a video series called “Asked & Answered”. This series involved researching and interviewing professors on camera for multiple topics that we believed alumni, prospective students and the general public would be interested in. In addition to writing scripts and interview questions – and delivering those…

People-First Engineering

Articulating an engineering brand based on equity and excellence to reimagine what engineering can be – closing critical gaps and elevating all people.

Forty-Two Design System

Fully embracing the emerging Wordpress Gutenberg technology, we took a new approach to web design and development, centering the democratic and modular nature of the technology to build a system that is flexible yet consistent.

Articulating Equity

Crafting thought leadership messaging to move the field of engineering forward

Graduate Recruiting

Increasing and diversifying the prospective graduate student recruitment funnel through digital marketing strategies Through research and departmental partnerships, the University of Michigan College of Engineering’s Communications and Marketing team (C&M) crafted and executed paid marketing campaigns that resonated with a more diverse applicant pool. As part of a push to both increase and diversify the…

A DEI Culture Shift

The job of creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community rests not with one organization or group of people, but with all of us. As part of the University of Michigan College of Engineering’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Implementation Committee, the Communications & Marketing (C&M) team took on the challenge of communicating the…